


Don't leave me behind

by sieluritari



Category: Free!
Genre: Angst, M/M, Set after the scene in Eternal Summer ep11
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-18
Updated: 2014-09-18
Packaged: 2018-02-17 21:44:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2324213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sieluritari/pseuds/sieluritari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt from a Tumblr post, was given a pairing and a line of dialogue: "Please stay."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't leave me behind

"I’m… going to a University in Tokyo."

Haru’s field of vision was suddenly filled with fireworks as the realisation set in. Makoto was leaving. Leaving Iwatobi, leaving Haru. The air felt colder around his wrist where Makoto had held it and he wanted the warm hand back were it belonged.

"I meant to tell you sooner but I just couldn’t find a way to say it… I-"

"Do whatever you want!"

Haru could faintly hear Makoto calling his name as he ran. Away from the festival and the fireworks, away from Makoto, away from everyone who wanted to rush him, control him, hurt him, _leave him_. He didn’t stop until he reached his house. His breathing was ragged and he was sweating, but he ignored it. He went in and continued on to his bedroom, undressed, and curled under the sheets in his bed.

He tried to think of simpler times but sleep was avoiding him again, as it often had lately.

_Ding dong!_

Haru didn’t want to get up. He didn’t want to see anyone or talk to anyone. If he just stayed in bed and curled up even tighter, maybe whoever was ringing his doorbell would go away.

_Ding dong!_

Apparently, they were not easily deterred. Haruka groaned and tried to ignore the instinct of politeness telling him to go open the door.

_Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong!_

"That’s it…" He was going to open the door, tell whoever it was to go away and go back to bed.

"Go away, do you even know what time it — Makoto?"

This wasn’t going to go well.

"Haruka."

_He called me Haruka. He never calls me Haruka._

"Haruka, let me in."

Haru could do nothing else but nod and step away to let his tall friend in.

"Haruka, it’s not polite to run away before someone finishes talking."

_I must have really made him mad._ Haru had never seen Makoto like this. His entire being seemed dark compared to his usual sunny disposition and he was almost vibrating with restrained power.

"Makoto, I —" Makoto turned to him and they made eye contact. Haru froze. Makoto was glaring at him. At _him_. Whatever Haru had been trying to say died in his throat and all he could do was stare back into the usually kind eyes.

Suddenly, Makoto seemed to deflate and the darkness left him. He sat on the staircase, head in hands.

"I tried, Haru. I tried to talk to you about my plans, I tried to plan _with_ you. But you didn’t want to listen and in the end, I had to make my decision myself. I think it was something I _needed_ to make myself. I’ve always known I can’t follow you if you go pro or into art or anything like that, we’re too different. You’re extraordinary and I’m not.”

Haru couldn’t move, he could hardly breathe. Makoto rarely opened up and he definitely wasn’t expecting anything like this.

"It wasn’t something I was sad about, it was just life. But I’ve had to realise that I can also go where you can’t, I have value as my own person, not just as your friend and teammate. I’ve used you as a point of comparison all my life and until now had never questioned it."

He sounded close to tears, but chuckled.

"Did you know Rin was the only one of my friends who has seriously asked me about what I want to do? He even told me I could go pro. I’m not going to, and I’ve always known that, but it was nice to hear someone thought it was an option. I need to do something for me, you know? I need to prove to myself that I can stand on my own two feet.”

Haru felt like crying. He couldn’t even remember the last time he cried, but there was a boy in his hallway baring his heart to him and he felt like an asshole just standing there, but he didn’t know what else to do.

"When you left, I was hurt. I wanted to explain myself to you but you didn’t even give me the chance. I was really angry. I’ve had to watch you in pain alone for _weeks_ and you didn’t even talk to me, even though we were on the same boat, even though we have always been together. I don’t think I’ve ever been that mad at someone, but now I’m confused and just so, so tired.”

Haru finally moved from his place near the door and sat beside Makoto on the staircase.

"I’m… I’m sorry, Makoto. I’ve tried but… I still don’t know what I’m doing or where I’m going. Please, just… please stay. Don’t go far away and leave me behind."

Makoto lifted his head to look at Haru with a sad smile.

"Haru… I can’t do that. I don’t want to leave you but I need to go forward, even if it’s on my own."

He stroked Haru’s face with his hand and kissed him innocently, briefly, but it felt desperate, and like a goodbye.

"You just need to make sure to catch up." he said before he stood up and walked away silently, leaving Haru alone in the dark.

**Author's Note:**

> I have written a lot in my native language but not that much in English and I have never finished even a chapter of fanfiction before this so maybe it was time or something.
> 
> My tumblr is sieluritari if you want to find me.


End file.
